We broken them down by tools. We disaggregated them by states. Now, what would it be like if we had all the best talent in the same field?
Let’s look at the best prospects for the 2022 draft in each position. The first team is relatively balanced with six high school names (including the two pitchers) and four from the college ranks. The top seven prospects in MLB Pipeline’s Top 250 ranking are listed below, with No. 8 Cam Collier relegated to the second team due to the presence of No. 7 Jacob Berry on the corner.
We may never see this exact team on the field together, but it’s fun to dream how many star appearances, year-end awards and World Series titles will be represented on this list in the coming decades.
C: Kevin Parada, Georgia Tech (No. 6) Over the years there have been good receivers through Georgia Tech like Jason Varitek, Matt Wieters and Joey Bart. Parada is very much on the list and could become on Sunday the second defense of the Yellow Jackets (Bart) to be among the first five elections of the general. The right-handed hitter set a school record with 26 homers this spring and finished with a .361 / .453 / .709 bar line over 60 games on his way to winning the Johnny National Catch Awards of the Year Bench and Buster Posey. It may end up being the defensive average when it comes to receiving and throwing, but the bat is so good it could be a quick move to the Minor Leagues.
Second Team: Daniel Susac, Arizona (No. 12)
1B: Dominic Keegan, Vanderbilt (No. 97) There is a possibility that a team will ask Keegan to be the receiver, where he played 25 games this spring, but most of his representatives have come at the beginning, which makes him eligible here. Keegan has been the Vandy Boys’ most productive hitter the past two seasons and, more recently, cut .371 / .458 / .646 with 14 homers in 62 games last season. His power within the game from an easy swing with the right plays on all fields, and he should show enough pop and hitting ability in general to add value in such an early batting position, if he stays at the beginning in the professional ball.
Second Team: Ivan Melendez, Texas (No. 99)
2B: Termarr Johnson, Mays (GA) HS (No. 4) The book is very good about the 5-foot 10 center fielder. Throughout the Draft process, Johnson has been considered the best general hitter in the class, and some believe it has the best pre-Draft success tool in decades. The combination of eye-hand coordination and tone selection makes Georgia’s native elite on the left side, and shows more power than their frame would suggest, thanks to their speed and batting strength. The average speed and strength of the arm will probably see him go from short to second on the professional side, but there is no doubt that he could be an offensive asset from anywhere on earth.
Second team: Jace Jung, Texas Tech (No. 9)
3B: Jacob Berry, LSU (No. 7) Berry cut .352 / .439 / .676 with 17 homers as a freshman in Arizona before transferring to LSU. His results with the Tigers were just as impressive: .370 / .464 / .630, 15 homers. The exchanger is another of the top potentials on this list because it does not have the speed of the foot and the strength of the arm to be more than a suitable third base. But the bat, led by his ability to handle all sorts of pitches with a strong focus and 65-degree power, is so good that Berry’s chances of going early Sunday can’t be overlooked.
Second team: Cam Collier, Chipola JC (no. 8)
SS: Jackson Holliday, Stillwater (OK) HS (No. 2) Being the best short Parador in the class carries a lot of weight, and Holliday, son of seven-time All-Star Matt, has the profile to take it. First, the 18-year-old has an approach beyond his age that helps him put the cannon on the ball regularly. It has also added strength this spring and is now projecting above average power. While some lose wheels as they widen, the Oklahoma native has improved his speed through July, and when he adds above-average arm strength, he’s also a quality defender. He should enter the top three in the first round as he begins his journey to make a name for himself.
Second team: Brooks Lee, Cal Poly (No. 5)
DE: Druw Jones, Wesleyan (GA) HS (# 1) Holliday is not the only player with an impressive family tree on this roster. Jones, son of ten-time Gold Glover Andruw, is the main name in this year’s Draft with above-average level tools in the elite. He uses a 70-degree speed to become a similar defender in the middle of the turf, and his 65-degree arm gives him another weapon at his disposal from the field. A right-handed batter, uses a 6-foot 4-foot frame to generate more power, and there could be more in the tank as it matures. A little remaining swing work is the only problem. Otherwise, Jones is the outstanding five-tool talent in this year’s Draft.
OF: Elijah Green, IMG Academy (FL) (No. 3) Green gives this list two well-prepared gardeners. The raw pop of the right-handed slugger has long been a highlight on the showcase circuit and continued to sound at the IMG Academy in the spring. His 70-degree speed could be an even better tool than power, and with a strong arm on top, he’s close to competing with Jones as the best defensive gardener in the class. There are concerns about how much he will change and find himself missing at the next level, especially against high heaters and broken things, but even if the tool of success is average, Green has a superstar roof.
OF: Gavin Cross, Virginia Tech (No. 10) Cross offers a different perspective mark at the end place of the field. The 21-year-old is solid, if not spectacular, at all levels. His left-handed swing helped him produce a .328 / .411 / .660 bar line with 17 homers in 2022, marking the second consecutive college season in which he finished with an OPS above 1,000. . He can be an overall hitter above average with a similar power of 55 degrees, both useful, as he is likely to be a corner gardener in the majors due to the average speed.
Second team: Justin Crawford, Bishop Gorman (NV) HS (No. 13); Chase DeLauter, James Madison (No. 18); Dylan Beavers, California (No. 22)
LHP: Brandon Barriera, America Heritage (FL) HS (No. 15) The 6-foot 2 left-handed can attack batsmen in multiple ways. His fastball is already at 90 and reaches up to 96 mph before even facing his first minor league hitter. Barriera’s 80s slider can also evade bats, while its above-average shift advances beyond the typical preparation arms due to the way it sells it by hand. Vandy’s recruit pumps these throws into the area, keeping the belief that he will start at all levels advancing. Durability, given its size, will be the most important point to demonstrate.
Second team: Robby Snelling, McQueen (NV) HS (No. 16)
RHP: Brock Porter, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (MI) HS (No. 11) All the pieces are there to make Porter the highlight of this year’s harvest. There’s the performance: an effectiveness of 0.41 and 155 strikeouts in 58 innings on the way to being named National Player of the Year by Gatorade. There are things, led by a fast ball from the mid-90s that can hit 100 mph, along with one more shift and a hard slider in development. There’s also a bit of projection left in its 6-foot 4 frame, which gives clubs even more where to dream.
Second team: Dylan Lesko, Buford (GA) HS (No. 14)